So you're sitting at the cafe, and you find a new song. So you drag it into iTunes and try to sync over Wi-Fi. It is here where the entire concept of iCloud breaks down.

iCloud is not WiFi sync. WiFi sync takes place between iTunes on your computer and your device. Automatic downloads take place between each device and Apple's servers. The point of automatic downloads is that you don't have to sync (WiFi or wired) to have your purchases on your devices.

I don't know what Apple changed, but ever since the release of iOS 6, the feature has been a complete mess for countless people. I have the exact same problem with Wi-Fi Sync and when I looked into it, I discovered that it is incredibly common.

I really hope that iOS 6.1 fixes this.

*Edit*

To the user above me, your statement about the device needing to be plugged in is absolutely incorrect. For battery purposes, Apple always recommends that you plug in the phone when doing any sort of wireless updating, but it has never been an actual requirement. On iOS 5, I used to sync my iPhone's music library over iTunes all the time without plugging it in. As long as I had over 20% battery life, it would let me sync. With iOS 6, the feature is broken, in that the Sync button is grayed out 90% of the time, even though it shouldn't be.

I don't know what Apple changed, but ever since the release of iOS 6, the feature has been a complete mess for countless people. I have the exact same problem with Wi-Fi Sync and when I looked into it, I discovered that it is incredibly common.

I really hope that iOS 6.1 fixes this.

*Edit*

To the user above me, your statement about the device needing to be plugged in is absolutely incorrect. For battery purposes, Apple always recommends that you plug in the phone when doing any sort of wireless updating, but it has never been an actual requirement. On iOS 5, I used to sync my iPhone's music library over iTunes all the time without plugging it in. As long as I had over 20% battery life, it would let me sync. With iOS 6, the feature is broken, in that the Sync button is grayed out 90% of the time, even though it shouldn't be.

I got 6.01 and iTunes 11 and it works fine for me at my home WIFI. AC initiates sync automatically if configured so but one can always hit the SYNC button even when on batt.

At the Mcdonald's I frequent I notice they got 2 hotspots with different SSID so perhaps u want to make sure both devices are talking to the same hotspot to insure same-network.

THEN if I was the cafe's manager I may disable anything that my 2 dollars, sit-all-day customers can't do torrent all day!

Oh when u upgrade the software, u may want to toggle the WIFI SYNC setting. Dunn know why I had to do that but that did it 4rme.

Oh and at one airport I frequent, iCloud access is disabled. I dunno if this is intentional but at public hotspots u have to assume they really gives u browsing/email access but the rest cannot be guaranteed.

So you're sitting at the cafe, and you find a new song. So you drag it into iTunes and try to sync over Wi-Fi. It is here where the entire concept of iCloud breaks down.

I'm ready to sync. But my Mac and iPhone cannot recognize that these devices are both on the same Wi-Fi network. iCloud is always like this.

So you sit there and press the Sync button on your iPhone, and then it says, "Looking for Macbook Pro..." but then it never finds it. And the Macbook does not recognize your iPhone in the least.

So what do you have to end up doing? You have to go into your bookbag, get the USB cord and sync manually. It is only now that iCloud begins to sync you iPhone to iTunes over Wi-Fi, when it's plugged into the computer.

I know it's because I had the Sync to Wi-Fi box checked, but if the cord is plugged into the computer, then why would I want it to sync over Wi-Fi? And what's more, why is it syncing over Wi-Fi now, when it couldn't before?

"quit/close" itunes and reopen it. iTunes will look for the known iDevices in the same wireless network and detect them. Try sync now. It always works for me..

Hotspot restrictions aren't the issue. Read the OP again. WiFi sync works when the USB cable is plugged in. If the restrictions were the problem it would not work either way.

As long as the iPhone is recognised by iTunes (showing up to the left), the phone does not have to be connected to a power source to sync.

I reread the OP, and I interpret it the same way now as I did then. He connects his phone to his computer in order to sync. Ergo, it's not syncing over wifi and therefore it's not proof of lack of restrictions or restrictions not being the problem.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by BHP41

I've never understood why people will spend 30+ minutes for something that cost a dollar.

So you're sitting at the cafe, and you find a new song. So you drag it into iTunes and try to sync over Wi-Fi. It is here where the entire concept of iCloud breaks down.

I'm ready to sync. But my Mac and iPhone cannot recognize that these devices are both on the same Wi-Fi network. iCloud is always like this.

So you sit there and press the Sync button on your iPhone, and then it says, "Looking for Macbook Pro..." but then it never finds it. And the Macbook does not recognize your iPhone in the least.

So what do you have to end up doing? You have to go into your bookbag, get the USB cord and sync manually. It is only now that iCloud begins to sync you iPhone to iTunes over Wi-Fi, when it's plugged into the computer.

I know it's because I had the Sync to Wi-Fi box checked, but if the cord is plugged into the computer, then why would I want it to sync over Wi-Fi? And what's more, why is it syncing over Wi-Fi now, when it couldn't before?

This is iCloud for me daily.

And the iCloud tabs thing, never works. If you have a page open on your iPhone and you want to open it on your Mac, you go to Safari, click the little iCloud tabs thing, but nothing ever shows up.

This is iCloud for me. This is how it's always happened. Why is this happening?

Doesn't the fact you are in a cafe affect syncing? I believe all devices have to be connected to the same SECURE network. Public cafe wifi hotspots are not secure.

Also, the iCloud Tabs thing ... again the iCloud Server may be totally unreachable due to the type of network you are logged onto ...

Also, I have seen people open some browser windows and in a few seconds, put their laptops to sleep ... there isnt enough time to sync with iCloud ... it needs some moments for the tabs to be open for a sync ... Also, type on network your iphone is connected to further slows down the sync back of those tabs.

I've posted about this topic more than anyone can count, yet there seems to be no definitive answer. I'm not going to mess with my router. It's fine the way it was set up. It shouldn't matter about firewalls, or secured Wi-Fi networks or, whatever...

When your Macbook and your iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, iCloud is supposed to work.

I finally figured out why wifi sync has been failing on me, and not my ipad or ipod. In short what was happening is that everytime I tried to sync, it would work the first time, and then fail after that. I had to always reboot my imac and then it would work once, and then fail again. I noticed everytime I did a sync, whether cable or wifi, one song was always being listed as being backed up, even though it was already on my phone. I deleted that song from the phone and it hasn't failed since.